The behavior of former presidential candidate and activist Omoyele Sowore before the Federal High Court in Abuja has been denounced by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which calls it a disturbance of courtroom etiquette.
In a statement released on Wednesday and signed by its president, Afam Osigwe, the association expressed its stance.
The response came after an incident on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja where Sowore allegedly got into a fight with a Nigerian Senior Advocate while trying to speak to reporters inside the courtroom.
In a video that went viral online, the senior attorney confronted Sowore and insisted that the courtroom was not the right place for a press conference.
Sowore retorted, “You’re insulting my intelligence and intimidating me because you’re introducing yourself to me as a SAN.” I have SANs of my own.
According to the NBA’s statement, courtrooms in constitutional democracies are accessible to the public to encourage transparency, but procedures must be conducted with discipline and respect for judicial authority.
“The Nigerian Bar Association views the incident involving Mr. Omoyele Sowore with grave concern in light of this background,” the statement stated.
Sowore allegedly entered the courtroom with people holding recording devices and camera phones, according to the association.
The NBA claims that Sowore and his teammates seemed to get ready for a press conference in the courtroom.
According to the statement, he “went on to set up what seemed to be preparations for a press conference within the courtroom itself.”
According to the association, he was attended to “in a manner akin to a broadcast setting” by members of his team before moving into the inner bar, taking a seat at a table, and starting to talk about national concerns.
It mentioned that Sowore was not accompanied by a lawyer at the time and that his case was not scheduled for a hearing.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria Musibau Adetunbi, who objected to the development and insisted on upholding courtroom decorum, confronted the NBA, claiming that the situation caused tension in the courtroom.
According to the group, “any conduct that undermines the dignity of the court, intimidates legal practitioners, or disrupts proceedings constitutes a grave affront to the rule of law.”
The group also emphasized that publicity and advocacy activities should not be held in courtrooms.
The statement went on, “Using a courtroom for publicity, advocacy theatrics, or confrontation is unacceptable and inconsistent with the discipline required in judicial proceedings.”
The NBA acknowledged that Nigerians have the right to attend court hearings, but it stated that this right does not include using courtrooms as locations for press conferences.
Additionally, the NBA offered support to Adetunbi and other attorneys who insisted on upholding law and order during the situation.
The association stated, “We also call on court authorities to ensure that courtrooms remain protected spaces for the orderly administration of justice and free from acts capable of intimidating legal practitioners.”
It further stated that it is still dedicated to upholding the sanctity of court procedures and the dignity of the legal profession.
